Malappuram: ED searches residences of Ex-MLA P V Anvar, four others in loan misappropriation case
Malappuram (Kerala) (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided the premises of former MLA P V Anvar and four others in this district in connection with the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC) loan misappropriation case, officials said.
The ED is probing a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Anvar (58), his driver Siyad, and three KFC officials — Abdul Manaf, T Mini and Muneer Ahamed.
According to ED sources, the agency initiated the investigation after the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) recently registered a corruption case related to loan misappropriation at the KFC Malappuram office.
Officials said that in 2015, KFC Malappuram sanctioned a loan of Rs 7.5 crore to Anvar’s driver Siyad for business purposes without properly assessing the collateral.
Within months, loan repayments came to a halt.
Later, two additional loans — Rs 3.05 crore and Rs 1.56 crore — were sanctioned to Anvar’s firm, PVR Developers, against the same collateral on which the Rs 7.5 crore loan had been granted earlier, an official said.
KFC incurred a total loss of Rs 22.30 crore due to the alleged loan misappropriation.
The ED began its raid at Anvar’s residence in Edavanna and at his business establishments, including an amusement park in the district, at around 7 am.
Simultaneous searches were also carried out at the residences of Siyad and the KFC officials, the official said.
Last month, the ED recorded the statement of Murugesh Narendran, the complainant in the VACB case.
Anvar, a former MLA from Nilambur, parted ways with the LDF following differences and later contested the Assembly by-election on an All India Trinamool Congress ticket early this year.
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MP: Protest over Dhoudan dam continues for eighth day, work stalled
Chhatarpur (MP) (PTI): Tribals displaced due to the proposed Dhoudan dam under the ambitious Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh continued their protest for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday, halting work at the site.
Villagers affected by the project in Panna district, including Majhgawan and Runj, remained stationed at the construction site pressing for their demands.
Protesters have been demanding a compensation package of Rs 12.5 lakh for displaced families, similar to what they claim has been sought for those affected by other dams in the region.
Panna Additional Collector Alok Marko and SDM Satish Nagvanshi reached the protest site during the day and held detailed discussions with the agitators.
The officials said that the compensation had been disbursed in accordance with government guidelines and the land acquisition law.
"In the Runj project, 99 per cent payment has been completed, while more than 90 per cent compensation has been paid in villages affected by the Ken-Betwa project, including Kateri, Baleta, Gadra and Koni. If any name has been left out, we are ready to conduct a fresh survey based on documents," Nagvanshi said.
The administration had taken along a representative of the displaced persons to provide photocopies of records, he said.
Protesters are demanding that the earlier compensation package of Rs 5 lakh for Majhgawan and Vishramganj dams be increased to Rs 12.5 lakh, at par with that of the Dhodan dam displaced persons. The administration, however, has termed the demand "policy-wise impossible", as the relevant awards had been passed years ago.
Social activist Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the agitation, rejected the administration's claims, alleging that only 60 per cent of the affected people have received compensation and there are major discrepancies.
"If gram sabhas and procedures have been conducted constitutionally, we will end the protest, but we will not part with even an inch of land through unconstitutional means," he said.
As the protest site falls within the core area of the Panna Tiger Reserve, the administration has tightened security arrangements.
Collector Parth Jaiswal appealed to the protesters to maintain law and order in the restricted zone of the tiger reserve and resolve the issue through dialogue.
He added that a survey is underway, and no eligible person will be deprived of compensation.
A team of doctors arrived at the site to examine the protesters, who were camping there with essential supplies, but returned without conducting check-ups.
